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Tropical Storm Kyle (1996)
Tropical Storm Kyle was a short-lived tropical storm of the very active 1996 Atlantic hurricane season. The 11th tropical cyclone and named storm, Kyle formed on October 11 in the northwestern Caribbean Sea from a tropical wave. Kyle had quickly peaked as a minimal tropical storm early on October 12, about twelve hours after formation. Tropical Storm Kyle subsequently weakened back to a tropical depression it approached Central America. The storm made landfall near the Guatemala and Honduras border on October 12. Tropical Depression Kyle ultimately dissipated early on October 13, only a few hours thereafter. The dissipating tropical depression had minimal affects on land, limited to rain in Belize, Guatemala, and Honduras. Meteorological history The origins of Tropical Storm Kyle were from a tropical wave that emerged into the Atlantic from the west coast of Africa on September 27, as depicted by satellite imagery and rawinsonde data. No significant development occurred while the system moved through the Lesser Antilles and into the Caribbean Sea on October 5. Beginning to interact with a frontal cloud band, the system became visible on surface analysis maps as a broad 1010 mbar (hPa; 29.83 inHg) low. Convection remained disorganized around the system, which satellite images had indicated anticyclonic flow. It was estimated that Tropical Depression Eleven formed later on October 11, because of a well-defined convective cloud band. Forming about midway between Swan Island and the coast of Belize, the depression drifted southwestward at about 3 mph due to weak steering currents. Eleven quickly strengthened and was upgraded to Tropical Storm Kyle just six hours after it formed into a depression. Tropical Storm Kyle had attained its peak intensity early on October 12, with sustained winds of 50 mph (85 km/h) and a minimum pressure of 1001 mbar (hPa; 29.56 inHg). Shortly after reaching peak intensity on October 12, Tropical Storm Kyle also began to rapidly weaken. As it headed toward Central America, it weakened and as downgraded to a tropical depression later on October 12. The weakening Tropical Depression Kyle made landfall in extreme eastern Guatemala not far from the international border with Honduras; sustained winds were at 30 mph (45 km/h) during landfall. Tropical Depression Kyle dissipated early the next morning, October 13, just slightly inland over Guatemala. Impact As Tropical Storm Kyle drifted toward Central America, a few watches and warnings were issued. Shortly after it strengthened into Tropical Storm Kyle on October 11, a tropical storm warning was issued for Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Quintana Roo in Mexico to Cabo Camaron, Honduras; it also included some areas in Belize. Simultaneously, a hurricane watch was issued for Felipe Carrillo Puerto, Mexico to the Guatemala-Honduras border. All of the watches and warning were discontinued less than 24 hours later as Kyle weakened to a tropical depression. Since Kyle had made landfall while a weakening tropical depression and rapidly dissipated, effects were much lighter than anticipated. The only effects reported from Tropical Depression Kyle were light rains, peaking at 2.32 inches (59 mm) in Belize. Rainfall to the northwest of the center of Kyle was heavier, with some areas of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula received over 3 inches (76.2 mm) of rain. In addition, rainfall from Tropical Storm Kyle had also peaked on the Yucatan Peninsula, peaking at 5.71 inches in Tulum. Reference Category:Wikipedia Archives